Legaia Nara and the SimSeru
by Vick330
Summary: Nara, Vahn & Noa's spirited daughter, goes on an exploration trip, gets into big trouble, and gives Cort a chance for redemption. Story completed.
1. I - The Explorers

**Nara and the Sim-Seru**

(A Legend Of Legaia fan fiction, by Vick330)

Disclaimer

I don't own Legend Of Legaia, or its characters. I don't even know why I bother stating the obvious.

Foreword

This is a sequel to my first L.O.L. story, but you don't need to read it first to enjoy this fic. It takes place about one year after the ending of 'If Life Allows', and little over seven years after the game's ending. The story is mainly about Nara, Vahn and Noa's daughter, and her best friend Thoram, Mei's son.

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I - The Explorers

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West of Rim Elm there is a mountain range. When the Bio-Castle took over the village, part of it reached to the mountain's feet. Today, nearly seven years after its destruction, a series of pits remain there as a grim reminder of those dark times.

Those gaps have been condemned by order of the King, and following High Knight Vahn's counsel. The area is patrolled by the Kingdom's Soldiers, so nothing short of an army of determined warrior-diggers, equipped with sturdy tools, could gain access to the tunnels that are to be found there.

Of course, if you just happen to be short, very spirited, overly curious and stubborn, even a detachment of Biron Monks wouldn't keep you from trespassing. Thoram was already regretting having taken part in the expedition, wondering why he had let himself be talked into it. The fact was it was because Nara had a way to make all of her ideas, even the really bad ones, sound good.

"Nara, you said that we would only get near the pits then go back, and it's getting late." Said the brown-eyed boy to his perky friend.

"Awwww! Where's your sense of adventure? We got pass the guards, didn't we? And we made it this far, so why not take a little peek?" Answered the red-haired girl. She was a smaller version of Noa, and had inherited her mother's spirit and sense of wonder.

The boy sighed, "Because, let me think...Ah, yes! It's going to get us in trouble, big time?"

"Well, go back if you want, I'm not leaving before I see those pits."

"I don't think that this is such a good idea, Nara."

"Come on, trust me on this one! It's going to be great!" She said with one of her wide smiles that threatened to split her head in two, and was usually an omen of disaster to come.

Thoram wasn't convinced this time around though, "The last time you said that, we got grounded for a week for climbing the roof of the Elder's house."

"That was just a slight miscalculation, and how was I supposed to know that Mount Rikorua was so slippery?"

"And of course, it wasn't your fault that we landed on the Elder's tea party."

"Who has tea parties in this time and age anyway? And why did he invite the Elders from the surrounding villages? Don't they have their own villages to take care off?" The girl's logic was quite flawless, in her mind anyway.

"Well at least his cat was all right, I still wonder how it got on the roof in the first place." He mused aloud.

"Huh, about that, I threw bits of food on the roof, to get the Elder's cat to go there." Confessed Nara.

"WHAT?" Exclaimed Thoram, "Why would you do such a thing?"

"Well, I wanted to re-enact my Mommy and Daddy's first meeting, when they fought that winged lion thing."

The boy rolled his eyes, as understanding suddenly dawned on him, "So the roof was Mount Rikorua, you were your Mom, I was your Dad, and the cat was Caruban. Am I right?"

"YUP!" Chirped the girl merrily.

His tone was bitter when he replied, "I should have known that it was another of your crazy ideas, they all are."

Nara put her hands on her hips, and faced her companion, "Come on, Thoram, you don't mean that. You know very well that all of my ideas are good!"

"Yes, I do mean it!" replied the boy, "And not all of your ideas are good, most of them stink, and I'm just too darn stupid to realize it on time."

The girl was unruffled, "Well then, name one of my ideas that was bad!"

Once again, he rolled his eyes, "What about the time you convinced me to build a raft, and then put it in the water and we almost drowned?"

"Just a little engineering problem, and what is an isolate incident after all?"

"And there was that time when we got chased by bees..."

"It didn't sting that much..."

"And when you almost started a fire in my house..."

"Your father put it out on time, didn't he?"

"And that time when my head got stuck in your house's fence..."

"It's not my fault if you have a big head."

"And that time when..."

"All right, all right, I get the picture, but this time it's different, trust me." She concluded with a huge grin, which usually won the boy over to her cause.

But this time it didn't, and he firmly stated, "That's what you say EVERY time something bad is about to happen, so I insist that we go back now."

"Ah! And who's going to make me? Huh?"

Even if the girl was between easy reach of his arms, Thoram knew that he had no chance of grabbing her. Nara was incredibly fast and moved like quicksilver, so a direct approach was bound to fail. And thus he decided to use deception.

He looked up and exclaimed, "OOOOOOOH!"

Curious, Nara also looked up, "What?"

"GOTCHA!" He yelled victoriously.

"YIKES!" Exclaimed the startled girl, and then Thoram threw her over his shoulder and held her in an inescapable hug.

"Thoram! Put me down!" Complained the girl, her green eyes burning with fury.

"No way, we're going back now, you'll thank me for this some day." He replied proudly.

"LET ME GO! NOW!" She ordered, kicking and trying to pull free, but he was wearing his leather jacket that didn't allow her to slip from his grasp.

"Enjoy the ride, you usually pester me to carry you." He said, laughing and not overly bothered by her kicks.

"IF YOU DON'T LET ME GO, I'LL PUT SPIDERS IN YOUR BED! AND BUGS IN YOUR FOOD!"

Thoram chuckled, "I'm not afraid of spiders, and my parents don't allow you in the kitchen anymore since the fire incident."

"PUT ME DOWN, OR I'LL TELL EVERYONE THAT YOU LIKE MY AUNTY NENE!"

That gave him pause, but he decided that it was worth the risk, "I think she knows already anyway."

"IF YOU DON'T RELEASE ME, I'LL BURN YOUR HOUSE DOWN WHILE YOU'RE SLEEPING AND THEN YOU'LL RUN OUT IN YOUR JAMMIES AND THE WHOLE VILLAGE WILL LAUGH AT YOU!"

"You're not allowed to play with fire, remember?" He informed his enraged friend.

Realizing that coercion would not work, Nara decided to use trickery. She tried to remember the conversations between Nene and the region's healer, in order to come up with some alarming injuries.

"Ooooow!" She cried.

"Nara? Are you all right?" Asked a concerned Thoram.

She responded in a weak voice, "I think my ribs are broken, my lungs collapsed, and my prostate is swollen."

That sounded quite serious, and the boy released her very carefully, "Oh, Nara, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry, can you stand? No, maybe it's better if I carry you to your aunt Nene, I'm really, really sorr..."

"SUCKEEEEEEEEEEEEEER!"

"Eh! Come back here! You're not hurt!" He exclaimed, as he ran after her.

The girl was fast like the wind and she saw, with great satisfaction, that her companion was following. She adjusted her speed so he wouldn't be left too far behind. Thoram knew he had no chance to catch up, as Nara was only second to her mother when it came to racing.

Nara skillfully jumped over and swerved around obstacles, reveling in the feeling of freedom that speed always gave her. She also felt pride at having outwitted Thoram, once again, and it gave her a happy feeling of accomplishment.

She finally reached the object of her interest and waited for the boy on a boulder. He arrived shortly and out of breath, whereas she on the other hand had hardly broken a sweat.

"So, we're here! Lets explore!" She announced happily.

Deciding that there was no harm in looking around, since brick and mortar closed the pits, Thoram followed the red-haired girl. But she soon disappeared between a group of boulders, and he decided to rest a little while she satisfied her curiosity. He knew that his spirited friend would soon tire of the whole thing anyway, as her attention span was notoriously short.

"THORAM! HEEEEEeeeellllp!" Came Nara's cry of alarm.

He immediately jumped over the boulders, ready to fight whatever was endangering the girl. He could see no trace of her and he could see little in the deepening shadows. Concern made him careless, otherwise he would have seen the hole in the ground.

"Nara, if this is a joke, it's not funny...AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

He landed on a giving surface, which had the consistency of dry leather and that cracked under his weight, braking his fall. A slender hand helped him up, and he looked into two big gray-green eyes. The girl seemed unharmed fortunately, and he was more surprised than hurt himself anyway.

"Are you all right, Thoram?" Inquired Nara.

"Yes, I think so, but what is this place?" He asked.

"I think that we are inside what was the Bio-Castle, and we were lucky to land on that dead thing." She offered.

The boy's brown eyes widened at the sight. Moving slowly, he held Nara's hand while he backed away from the said thing. It was all that remained of a Gilium that had been killed by the castle's destruction and mummified in the dry air.

He looked up and saw that the hole from which they had fallen. It wasn't that far away but certainly out of reach, way too high for them to jump and with no place to climb. He remembered the earthquake that had shaken the region two years before and was probably the cause of that aperture. It was just their luck to have stumbled on it, he thought bitterly.

"I thought that all the pits had been closed." Said Nara.

"That is not a pit so we're not even in a tunnel, how are we going to get out?" Wondered the boy.

Always the optimist, the girl announced, "No problem! We'll just find a passage that leads upwards."

Thoram sighed, "And pray tell, how are we going to get past brick and mortar?"

"We'll see when we get there, and anyway the pits were closed so nobody can get IN not OUT. You see, you worry too much." She concluded with certainty.

The big boy thought that he worried just the right amount, but said nothing and followed the girl towards an exit from the chamber they were in. Surprisingly, they were able to see quite well and they realized that the walls, ceiling, and floor gave a faint greenish illumination. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Thoram remembered a lecture by the elder about 'cold light' produced by certain funguses.

They walked for a long time but couldn't find a promising path. Nara paused and pondered, "Maybe we should go back and try to find another passageway."

"Huh? Nara?" Said Thoram, as he looked back the way they had just come.

"What?" She said and then froze.

Behind them there were two tunnels and her keen eyes allowed her to see that, a little farther, both tunnels branched too. It would be impossible to go back to their starting point, for they had not noticed the forking while they walked.

"What now?" Inquired the boy.

For once in her short life Nara was at a loss, unable to decide on a course of action. Tired, hungry, thirsty and quite deflated, she let herself fall against the tunnel's wall.

Thoram sat beside her and proceeded to empty his ample coat's pockets. He produced a bottle with water, and also dried meat and cheese packed in leaves, followed by a length of rope and a small knife. "We better go easy on our supplies," he said gravely, "We don't know how long we'll be trapped here."

"How come you brought all this?" Asked the girl, gratefully accepting what her friend put in her hands.

"Since we drifted on that raft, I always bring some food and water when I'm with you, just in case." He stated in a resigned tone of voice.

After eating some of the supplies, wisely saving some for later, Thoram shared some candy with her. Realizing that Nara was shivering, he took off his coat and put it around her shoulders.

"What about you, you're not cold?" She inquired with concern.

"Don't worry, I'm all right," he reassured her, "Try to sleep now, we'll need all our strength to get out of here."

"I'm sorry." She said.

"Why, Nara?"

"Because this was an awful idea, maybe you're right and all my ideas are bad."

"Well, actually many of your ideas are good. Like, remember the time you got my sister Candela and me to lay on the grass, and look at shapes in the clouds?"

The girl felt reassured at the memory, "Yeah, that was kind of neat."

The boy continued, "Or when I was sick, and you brought little pieces of wood for me to carve, and you stayed and played with me."

Nara laughed, "Yup! I saved the little figurines you made, you know, they were so cute!"

She then leaned on him and promptly fell asleep. In spite of his size and strength Thoram was still a child, and he was scared and felt like crying. Looking at Nara, he decided to follow her example and be brave. For she was always brave and never shed tears. So he wiped the wetness from his eyes, and after a while slumber claimed him too.

The girl woke up at some point and wept softly, bitterly regretting having dragged her best friend into such a mess. She missed not being safely tucked in her own bed, and not having kissed her little sister Lyra good night. Thinking that at least she was safe back at home, and also glad that Candela had not come with them, she felt comforted and fell asleep again.

Farther, much farther down the corridor the two youngsters were in, something stirred. It had been dormant for more than seven years, and now it felt a draft of fresh air and the faint smell of flesh. The smell of young, healthy, tender human flesh.

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End chapter 01


	2. II - A Parent's Worst Nightmare

II - A Parent's Worst Nightmare

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Noa saluted her last student and headed home to her house near the beach. She was accompanied by Gala, who was spending a few days in the region to check her martial arts school. The cave at the village's entrance had become a sort of branch of Biron, though with less restrictive rules. Noa's teaching was renowned far and wide and had become a source of pride in Rim Elm.

Noa wasn't the girl who had come out of the Snowdrift Cave so many years ago anymore. The passing of time and motherhood had made her blossom into a remarkable young woman, but she had retained that spark of life that set her apart from most folk. If anything she was stronger and faster than before, and coupled to experience it made her a formidable opponent. Even her close friends were still in awe at her liquid grace and feline agility.

Nene was cradling Lyra, Noa's youngest daughter, on the front steps of the house. Upon seeing her fiends she greeted, "Noa, Gala, you're back early."

"Yes Nene," Said the red-haired woman as she took her daughter in her arms, "The last class was cancelled due to the festival's preparations."

"Say, isn't Nara with you?" Inquired the teenager, "I saw her and Thoram head towards the village's entrance, and I assumed that they were going to your school."

"No, I haven't seen her all day," Answered Noa, "Do you mind going to Mei's? I'll fix dinner meanwhile."

Nene acquiesced, "Yes, I have to talk to Trevor about fixing my door anyway, and I already prepared something, it's in the oven."

"You're an angel," said the young woman, "Some day you'll make a man very happy."

Vahn's sister smiled and left on her errand, escorted by the tall Monk.

Noa gently rocked Lyra, "Born of Fire and Wind my little cherub, mommy is so happy to see you." She playfully whispered to the baby and thought about how good her life was.

Vahn was quiet and not very demonstrative, and thus many people wondered how a lively woman like her could be happy with him. They didn't know how gentle, caring, loving, and loyal he really was. But she did, and her fine honed instincts sensed his deep feelings for her.

He had built their house with Mei's husband's help. It was near the ocean as he had promised her, and the soothing sound of the waves reached the mother and her child. They lived happily with their two daughters and had many good friends. Noa couldn't ask for more and she didn't want more, for what they had contented her completely.

Of course Vahn's responsibilities forced him to stay at Drake Castle from time to time. Noa hated when he was away for she missed him bitterly, even if she knew that it was only for a few days. Her spirits were high at that moment because her beloved was coming back to her this evening, after a weeklong absence training new recruits.

Nene and Gala returned shortly accompanied by Mei, her daughter, Candela, and her husband, Trevor. The four grown-ups had a look that told Noa that something wasn't right, not right at all.

Mei greeted her, "Noa, the good evening to you, I fear that our offspring has gotten into mischief."

"What has Nara done this time?" said the red-haired woman, rolling her eyes.

Candela answered, "They wanted to explore the Bio-Castle, but I didn't go because Noa wanted to be you, Auntie Noa, Thoram was going to be Uncle Gala, and they wanted me to be Uncle Vahn and I didn't want to be a man."

Dark premonitions crossed Noa's mind, "Candela, tell me, do you know where they have gone exactly?"

"To that place, near the mountains." Answered the girl.

"What?" exclaimed Noa, "Isn't that region guarded?"

"I guess that we should go and have a look," stated Gala in his usual no-nonsense tone, "It's getting dark and there are still monsters around there."

"I'm going too." Said Trevor.

Gala almost dismissed the big man, for he might be more of a hindrance than anything else should they encounter trouble. But he understood Trevor's concern for it reflected his own. Not for the first time, he thought that the teachings of Biron should encompass more down-to-earth matters, like being a friend or an uncle.

"Very well," Said the Monk, "You'll need a weapon though."

"I have just the thing." Announced Noa and she then entered her house. She came out a few minutes later, wearing her fighter's gear and carrying a mean-looking battle-axe.

Trevor accepted it, lifting the heavy weapon with ease, "Isn't this Vahn's? Won't he object at me using it?"

The red haired woman dismissed her friend's concerns, "He would insist, knowing that it's to help the kids. Let's go before it gets too dark. Mei, Nene, would you take care of Lyra, please?"

It wasn't a long walk, but Trevor was hard put to keep up with the two martial artists. They met a patrol and explanations were given. The soldiers had not seen the children, but since they were dealing with two respected heroes they let trio pass by and joined the search. Dusk was upon them, making the whole landscape take a grayish hue. Noa's keen eyes soon found traces of the two small explorers.

"Here," She announced, "They went that way first, then Thoram carried Nara for a while and headed back towards the village."

Trevor could hardly see anything in the dust and scarce grass, "How do you know that he was carrying her?" He inquired.

"Two things," Answered Noa, as if it was obviously plain, "His traces show that he was carrying a weight, and there's only his footsteps coming back. From this point here they both ran towards the pits, it's quite clear."

It wasn't clear at all to the giant, but he trusted his friend's judgment. Gala was also a good tracker, but he lacked Noa's night-vision and so let her lead the way. They soon reached the boulders, and the young woman soon discovered the hole through which their children had fallen.

"Oh, don't tell me that they went into the pits!" Exclaimed the Monk.

The guards couldn't help them there, as they were under orders to never enter the pits themselves. Noa and Gala preferred to be a small group at any rate, so they dismissed the men with instructions to carry news to the village. As Noa prepared herself to jump down, a familiar voice, slightly out of breath, announced, "Well, guys, you were going to go back in there without me?"

"Vahn, I'm so glad you're here!" exclaimed Noa with gratitude.

"Well," Interrupted Gala, "I guess we should go now."

And with that, the four adults jumped down into darkness.

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End chapter 02


	3. III - A Voice From The Past

III - A Voice From The Past

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Noa, run, go, please go

"Huh?" exclaimed Nara, looking around her and realizing that she was standing on darkness. An impenetrable blackness surrounded her, but somehow she knew it was a dream and wasn't scared. She suddenly saw a light. It was very dim, and slowly receding in the distance.

"Who are you? Wait!" She pleaded, running to the faint illumination.

Leave, leave, or it will get you too, Noa

"I am Nara!" Yelled the girl, "Noa is my Mommy!"

Noa's child? There was wonder in the voice, and also deep distress.

Please run little one, leave this place - It hurts! Oh how it hurts!

"Who? Who is hurting you? Who are you?" Asked Nara.

I am the one who deserves this. But you don't, so run, run, and tell Noa that I love her, I've always loved her...

The light disappeared and the red-haired girl awoke with a start. "No! Wait!" she exclaimed.

Thoram also awoke and held his friend tightly, concern showing in his voice, "Nara, what's wrong?"

She told him of her dream and the desperate warning. Unable to go back to sleep, they decided to explore the main passage they saw nearby, and from there try to find a way out.

A strong breeze had started blowing in the tunnels, blowing dust that had rested on the floor for years. It made them sneeze and cover their eyes, which didn't help them to get their bearings. It also had another unfortunate effect. The dust erased their footsteps, hindering the efforts of the four adults that were looking for them.

Nara had the nagging suspicion that the tunnels were somehow moving, and luring them deeper into the pits' entrails. Several times they had tried to go back to find a barrier blocking their way, or passing a dried-up carcass that they could swear having seen several times. The illumination and the heat increased with the passage of time, and their provisions were all but exhausted. It was with relief that they heard the sound of water and hurried to it.

There was a small stream coming out of a rocky section of the tunnel and they drank from it gratefully. The water was cool and fresh and greatly lifted their spirits. Their relief was short lived though, for when they backtracked their steps, they were unable to find the passage from where they had come from. Not knowing what else to do they followed the water on its way down, going even deeper into the cave's entrails.

The sight they came to filled their hearts with terror, for the stream they had drank from fell to a river down below, which slowly moving waters had the color and consistency of blood. Something stirred again, feeling the children's nearness. It had little life left to it, but it would be enough to lure the intruders farther.

Aye, it would be enough.

It had to be enough...

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As soon as they reached the dried-up Gilium, Noa knew that something was not right. She couldn't express what it was but she felt it, as something cruel and evil lurking in the shadows. The four of them managed to follow the youngsters' footsteps for a while, until an uncanny wind blew through the tunnels scattering dust and small debris all over.

"There is something here." Announced Noa.

"This way," Said Vahn "There's a vibration in the air."

Trevor didn't feel a thing, but the fighter's assurance calmed his worries and they went down a large tunnel. After an hour or so they came to a dead-end.

Gala played his hands over the wall, and finally selected a spot, "Trevor, hack at this wall with your axe," ordered the monk, "It's thinner here and I feel that there is another tunnel behind it."

The blond giant went at the obstacle, and to his surprise he managed to open a gap in the seemingly solid surface. After a while there was an aperture big enough for them all to pass through. Trevor happened to look at his weapon to check its condition, and froze in consternation.

"There, there is blood on the blade..." Said the big man, eyes wide with shock.

Vahn remained calm, but the urgency in his demeanor was unmistakable, "I thought as much, parts of the structure are still alive. We better find the kids, fast."

There were no arguments at this and they resumed their advance, cutting through leathery barriers when needed. After a while they reached the place where Nara and Thoram had slept, and from there managed to find clues as to their destination.

They lost track of time in the greenish gloom surrounding them. After much slashing at leathery barriers, they finally got to the spring in the tunnels and then to the crimson river. The four looked for traces of the two young ones, hoping that they hadn't fallen into the gruesome waters.

"What now?" Mused Noa aloud "Did they come this way and then turned back, or did they go ahead somehow?"

Gala pondered for a short while, "Maybe we should split into two groups, and cover more surface that way."

The decision was taken out of their hands, for a loud rumbling made them turn their heads and an unexpected rush of water, coming from the tunnel with irresistible strength, made them fall into the river below. The rapidly moving stream brought them deeper into the maze with inescapable force. After a terrible journey, where they thought that they should certainly drown, Noa, Gala, and Vahn managed to swim out and help Trevor to an outcropping.

"Phew, thank you guys." Said the big man gratefully, realizing that a little further the waters rushed furiously into a vortex.

"Nothing to it," Replied Gala "We were caught in a similar river the first time we came here."

Trevor suddenly was filled with concern, "The children! That vortex, did it get them?"

"No, my friend," Came Noa's reassurance "Look, they came this way and climbed up. You can see their traces in the wall, and by the looks of it they can't be far."

The blond man really didn't see anything, but he trusted the red-haired woman's instincts. He inquired, "But how did they escape that thing?"

Gala's answer was rather gloomy, "Something obviously wants them, but not us. Had we not had the experience to get out of the river, we would be dead by now."

"I felt something too," agreed Vahn, "I think it's a remnant of our association with Ra-Serus."

"But if we can feel it," began Noa.

"It can feel us too," finished Vahn.

And thus they climbed with renewed vigor, ignoring the weariness in their muscles, for the concern for their little ones overrode all else. An aperture awaited them at the top, and more evidence of the passage of their children was to be found. They were walking though a large cavern pocked with several apertures, and found more traces of the children leading to one at the farthest part.

Suddenly, all the tunnels leading into the vast chamber closed. An ear-shattering roar was heard at their right, and a huge form detached itself from the shadows.

"You got be kidding me!" exclaimed Gala.

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End chapter 03


	4. IV - Like Mother Like Daughter

  
********** IV - Like Mother Like Daughter **********  
  
  
Nara and Thoram had decided to retrace their steps, for the bloody river filled them with dread. But they hadn't gone ten steps, when they heard the rush of water, and then they were thrown into the awaiting torrent below.  
  
The boy had the clarity of mind to grab his companion, so they wouldn't get separated. His incredible strength allowed them to remain together, and they were scooped along, choking and fighting to remain afloat.  
  
They had one terrible moment of pure fear, when they approached a mean looking vortex, but it suddenly closed, and they were thrown on a ledge by the surge of water produced.  
  
Badly shaken, they remained there, holding each other for comfort, but they soon realized that the level of the river was steadily rising, and they were thus forced to climb.  
  
After reaching a tunnel, they pushed on, unable to figure what else to do. They passed a huge chamber, where several tunnels seemed to originate, but they were all closed, or out of reach high above. Holding hands tightly, staying as close to each other as possible, they walked towards the only aperture visible, which lead to a well-illuminated passage, of a pinkish color reminiscent of living flesh.  
  
They walked for a short distance, and suddenly Nara froze.  
  
"What is it?" Inquired the boy.  
  
"Someone is talking to me, and he is in great pain. We have to help him Thoram." Answered Nara.  
  
"I don't hear anything." Said the brown-eyed boy, puzzled.  
  
Nara had a determined look on her features, "It's in my head, and I know that somehow we are kinfolk, family."  
  
The chamber they came into was huge, and very well lighted, letting them see the horror before them in great detail.  
  
Picture a purple and red octopus, as big as a house, with glassy eyes, sitting in the middle of the chamber. It's numerous tentacles, as big as logs, held several cupules, inside of which could be seen human forms, at different stages of development.  
  
Come closer, I have been awaiting you, Heiress to Conkram's legacy!  
  
The voice, inside Nara's mind, sounded like it came from a dry, rough throat, and it was commanding, and insidiously evil.  
  
"Who are you?" Replied the girl.  
  
Your kind names me a Sim-Seru. Your own blood, little one, spawned me, and together we will rule the World. So come, step closer, and meet your destiny.  
  
Thoram got really concerned, for Nara's eyes were glazed, and unfocussed. He tried to shake her, but received no response.  
  
His green-eyed companion suddenly startled him, when she yelled, "NO! YOU ARE MEAN! I FEEL IT!"  
  
It is in the eye of the beholder, as all things. Your kin proved weak, are you weak, little one?  
  
{NARA! Don't listen to it! It will enslave you, as it did with me...No, stop it, stop the pain, just stop it, please...}  
  
Then, shut up, weakling! - Now, Nara, is it? Get closer, I can give you great power, none will ever tell you what to do, or order you around again, ever again.  
  
"What about Thoram?" Said the girl dreamily.  
  
He is not useful, and we will feed on him, and on those that follow you. You are better than them, my sweet, much better.  
  
Nara fought desperately against the voice, but couldn't resist the will of such a strong being. She felt, with rising panic, her feet moving forward, towards an awaiting maw in the center of the cavern.  
  
Thoram tried to stop her, but a tentacle hit him, making the boy go careening away from his friend. He groggily stood up, and heard the sound of fighting in the tunnel they had just come from.  
  
  
********* ********** **********  
  
  
They weren't joined to their Ra-Serus anymore, but they still had the experience of countless battles. While Gala crushed the beast's muzzle, with his calloused fist, Noa spilled its innards with her metal claw, on the right side, and Vahn did the same with his sword, on the left side.  
  
To Trevor's amazement, the monster lay dead in a matter of seconds. He then heard his son's voice, and ran to a tunnel, chopping with rage at the diaphragm closing the passage at the end of it.  
  
"Thoram! Nara! We're coming!" Shouted the blond giant.  
  
The boy's reply came muffled, "Father, Nara is in danger!"  
  
The three other adults soon arrived, and they all rushed into the chamber, freezing in their tracks for a heartbeat at the appalling sight.  
  
While Trevor was holding his son, Noa and Vahn ran to their daughter, intent on saving her from the awaiting jaws, knowing that they only had seconds to spare. But it was Nara's own will which saved her.  
  
She revolted from the horrendous mind, her brain was overwhelmed by its cruelty, but she managed to hold on to what she was, to what she felt was right, and broke the spell, shouting with surprising strength, and jumping back into her mother's arms.   
  
The cry of frustration, coming from the monster, was deafening. Smaller tentacles, branching from the main ones, attacked them, but Nara's parents hacked at them and cleared a path towards Gala and the others.  
  
The monk had a small battle-axe in his hand, he told Trevor to remain behind with Thoram, and ran to his friends' help. But the monster knew about them, and was prepared, so it threw even more appendages to herd them to its awaiting mouth.  
  
Give it up, you are mine, Princesses of Conkram, join me, become one with me. Ordered the abomination.  
  
Mother and daughter heard the calling, but did not obey, which confused the Sim-Seru. It did not comprehend how the two Princesses could resist it when the Prince, who had created it, had fallen into its control, prey to his own ambitions.  
  
This hesitation on the monster's part, allowed its prisoner to gather what little will he had left, and he lashed at his tormentor.  
  
{The eye, Noa! Break the eye!} Came the warning in the red-haired woman's mind, and she communicated the information to her companions.  
  
The Sim-Seru renewed its efforts to capture the attackers, and it might just have succeeded, but there were too many things, in its arrogance, that it had forgotten to take into consideration.  
  
First of all, Nara was also fighting, with great speed and agility, always staying one step ahead of the monster's appendages. Noa had given her a fighter's knife, and the girl used it with great skill.  
  
Then, the big blond man, and his son, joined the battle, their lack of speed and fighting skills more than compensated by their strength and determination. The six of them soon opened a trail, of squirming pieces of tentacles, to the beast's main body.  
  
Trevor finally reached the man-sized eye, lifted the heavy axe high, and brought it with colossal strength down on the glazed surface. To his amazement, he only managed to scratch it a little.  
  
The voice boomed inside the two redheads brains {Noa, Nara, only those of the blood of Conkram can hurt it}.  
  
Noa didn't waste time in explanations, and grabbed the weapon from the blond man's hands. Her muscles bulging from the effort, she raised the axe, and shattered the oily-looking orb.  
  
There were three smaller eyes, beside the main one, and Nara destroyed them in a few well-placed strokes. The two women were the only ones that heard the monster's death throes, and felt its rage, and hatred. And then, all fell silent, and several of the pods, alongside the remaining tentacles, opened.  
  
The bodies inside ranged in age from newborn to late adulthood, but they were all mummified, or simply dead. Noa and Nara heard a very faint voice, weak but relieved, expressing its gratitude.  
  
{Noa, you have delivered me, I can die in peace now.}  
  
"Cort, no, isn't there a way to save you?"  
  
{No, my sister, for I am part of this Sim-Seru. The one you fought, seven years ago, was just a part of it too. It is good that you have come, before it could get too strong.}  
  
"But I took you as a baby, after the battle, and you died..."  
  
{Then again, it was just a part of the whole, and it perished once detached from the main body. Now, go to the base of the biggest appendage, hurry for I have little time left.}  
  
Noa obeyed, and found a pod that had not opened, inside was a baby boy, about a year old by the looks of it.  
  
"Is this you, Cort?" Inquired the emerald-eyed woman.  
  
{Yes, it has most of my essence, and none of my horrible creation's. I managed to grow him, without my captor finding out. Take him, and care for him, he is me in body, so please give him a chance, and maybe he will undo some of the wrongs I brought upon.}  
  
They looked at the baby in wonder, and Noa vowed, "We will care for him, I promise."  
  
{Good, now go, I will use the last of my strength to open a path for you. And one last thing, tell the world that I was a fool, and that I am sorry...}  
  
"We will, my brother, we will..." Answered Noa, tears in her eyes.  
  
It took them several hours to reach the surface, and none too soon, for the baby had been crying from hunger. Fortunately, the soldiers had been waiting, and they had milk among their supplies.  
  
It was late afternoon, when they made a remarked entrance into the village, and they managed to forestall questions and inquiries. Explanations would have to be given, but it could wait.  
  
To explain the baby's presence, they pretended that it had been abandoned and that Vahn and Noa had decided to care for him. Not many were brought into the confidence of what truly had happened, for obvious reasons.  
  
  
And so, life resumed in Rim Elm.  
  
  
********** ********** **********  
  
  



	5. V - Epilogue

  
********** V - Epilogue **********  
  
  
Due the circumstances, Nara and Thoram were not disciplined, for their parents judged that the whole ordeal had been a good enough lesson.  
  
They were both delighted at being allowed to partake in the village's festival, and made many vows never to get into mischief, ever again.  
  
Vahn left for a few days, in order to inform the King of the happenstance. It was decided that the remaining tunnels would be explored, just to make sure that something else was not lurking in there.  
  
But that is another story.  
  
  
Baby Cort was, to Noa's relief, a normal, healthy child. He was readily accepted into the family, and Vahn raised him as his own.  
  
Nara was also overjoyed at having a little brother, on top of a sister, and she acted with great care around the babies, which contrasted with her usual slipshod manner.  
  
To the red-haired girl's sorrow, her uncle Gala had to leave, for he had to resume his pilgrimage.  
  
As a parting gift, he gave her a small emerald, mounted on a pendant, which he had purchased in Sol, and promised to visit again soon.  
  
  
******************** **********  
  
  
And so, the days passed, and one fine morning, Nara, proudly wearing Gala's pendant, Candela, and Thoram, carrying a bag with different supplies the girls had decided on, were walking towards the river, east of Rim Elm.  
  
"Were are we going?" Inquired the boy.  
  
"You'll see when we get there." Answered Nara excitedly.  
  
In fact, the red-haired girl didn't have a clue about where exactly they were going, what they would find, or do once there.  
  
Not that it was a problem, for she would think of something when the time came, and Candela had just told her a fascinating story she had just made up, so inspiration was not an issue.  
  
"Can't you give me a hint, Nara? I'm curious." Insisted Thoram.  
  
"Lets just say that you'll remember this one!" She replied, skipping and grinning. [By the way, he would most certainly remember it, trust me]  
  
The boy's brown eyes showed concern at his friend's statement, "We're not going to get in trouble, are we?"  
  
Nara's tone was reassuring, "Of course not, I thought things through this time."  
  
Thoram smiled widely at his friend and his sister, relieved that, for once, there was solid planning behind the expedition.  
  
He would eventually find out that it wasn't the case, but why spoil his fun?  
  
"Good, in that case, lead the way." He said merrily.  
  
Nara's grin nearly split her face in two, as she added, "Just trust me, this is going to be GREAT!"  
  
  
  
********** THE END? **********  
  
  



End file.
